Tuesday, December 18, 2007

The writing world (not to mention other ICs) are in an uproar over elance. I've had some problems since their redesign- not getting communications regularly being the most consequential.

I may still solicit over there, and hope that companies know that they get what they pay for, and forego those who are willing to work for pennies. I've garnered some excellent, excellent clients from elance. But, at this point, I'm not planning on renewing in March.

Friday, December 14, 2007

Good morning readers and clients. Here's what's going on here at GWP as far as end-of-the-year clean up.

1) GWP rates will remain the same into the new year. I believe we've reached a sort of equilibrium and am quite happy with it.

2) Outsourcing will be more selective. Speaking of equilibrium, I think I've got a good idea of how much I can take on without generating overflow and late deadlines. As usual, your project with GWP will never be outsourced without your knowledge and permission.

3) Holidays: I will be away from the computer the 23rd through the 26th, but after that, operations will return to normal.

4) Upcoming time off: Orlando in late March, Tucson in late April and NYC in early June. All trips have family and work components, so if you're in those areas, I would love to meet with you! We will not be going to Mexico in Summer 2008, sad, but at least I won't suffer internet withdrawal like last Summer.

As usual, I thank you so much for your business and confidence, and can't wait to see you in 2008!

Friday, December 7, 2007

As a freelancer who works from home, my support system is of tantamount importance.

My editors: Such great support and encouragement. One actually told me yesterday that being an editor requires that "you can see through all kinds of bullsh--." I found that hilarious.

My true friends: The real ones make themselves well known and obvious.

My husband: Also my accountant, business partner, and sometimes-work-from-home buddy- is on the lookout for me all the time. I call him the Enforcer. What I say "I'm going to make xx dollars this month," he makes sure it's so. When I say "I'm not going to waste time doing xx," he makes it so I don't have to. I love this man.

My kids: Provide incredible material! Where else can you hear that "men have a penis and women have a China"? I mean, I can't MAKE this stuff UP!

My family: One side spans two nations and two languages, the other side spans over 30 years of history.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

a relative in the sunny south, and it was from the Company "storypeople"

. . .you will not regret checking them out. Just do a "random browse" for more stories like these:

I sometimes wake in the early morning & listen to the soft breathing of my children & I think to myself, this is one thing I will never regret & I carry that quiet with me all day long. or I've always liked the time before dawn because there's no one around to remind me who I'm supposed to be, so it's easier to remember who I am or they only look small, she said, if you're someone who's fond of being bigger than everyone else

or

There are lives I can imagine without children but none of them have the same laughter & noise.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Second, I've found a return rate on jobs applied for of about 5%--- HOWEVER, this past week I've got a couple bites from potential clients that I first approached in the Summer. So that return rate may be heading upward.

Third, I am quite happy to see an incredible repeat rate with some customers. I think this is a very positive testimony to potential clients, so I will soon be adding a portion to my website that details those who keep coming back :)

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

I'm not your personal jester. I know it looks like I'm not doing much, sitting here very still with just my fingers moving. But I am actually typing. And I am typing words that turn into pay. And pay turns into things like food. And heat. Things that you enjoy.

So, in the future, I would kindly ask you that you not treat me as your personal plaything. This means:

No whining when you're bored.

Please stop jumping on me.

Don't make sudden, loud noises. I am often in a state of deep concentration, and they tend to scare me.

Quit looking at me expectantly everytime I stand up. It is not game time.

And, since he doesn't understand me, would you please kindly tell the cat to stop laying in front of the monitor? I mean, I know it's warm and all, but come on. It's really hard to write with his 20 pound mass sitting right in front of my screen.

Thursday, November 1, 2007

When I redid my website (for the 800th time) I put a project minimum on there stating that I wouldn't accept projects under a certain amount of pay.

This is because I've found that, even for a smallish project, I have to invest a minimum amount of time setting up the project in my records, communicating with the buyer, and getting the specifics of the project. So a project worth one hour of pay actually takes two hours.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

This morning I went for a jog (which turned into a walk unfortunately, let's not talk about that) and found it incredibly mind clearing and great for the creative juices. Try it (writers).

There's been much discussion in the writers/WAHMmersblogosphere about balance. Balance is an issue for many/most workers. I worked out of the house for others for years. Now that I'm working in my office, for myself (and my clients), it's just a different kind of balance.

Working Mother magazine likes to talk about breaking down the barriers of work and family by blurring the edges, dropping the boundaries. Much of the discussion in the blogosphere was along those same lines.

It doesn't work for me. I'm done multitasking, and I associate multitasking with blurring the boundaries. Not me, I've found compartmentalizing works best, and I strive for it. If it's work time, it's work time. If it's family time, it's family time- t he phone is unanswered if I don't recognize the number. Boundaries are up... to a point.

"To a point"....ahh, what does that mean? Well, last night I answered emails and surfed a bit while watching 28 Weeks Later (yuck, don't watch it). Sometimes I volunteer in my kiddos classroom on a "work day" if my client load is ok.

So, I guess I'm not as compartmentalizing as I like to think. But I do try. And it is an ideal that I aspire to. And I do not like multitasking!

This is a picture of my new office, which I blogged about on my 451 Press channel, Writers Unbound. I sit behind the next under the big Simone Silva picture. The desk on the left is my husbands. The treadmill is there, ready for a little walking/ thinking. Not pictured is the TV area, with our diplomas and awards hung above it (to the right).

Monday, October 15, 2007

Friday, October 5, 2007

A beautiful poem by Tess Gallagher:

“I Stop Writing the Poem”to fold the clothes. No matter who lives or who dies, I’m still a woman. I’ll always have plenty to do. I bring the arms of his shirt together. Nothing can stop Our tenderness. I’ll get back to the poem. I’ll get back to being a woman. But for now there’s a shirt, a giant shirt in my hands, and somewhere a small girl standing next to her mother watching to see how it’s done.

I feel that perhaps this poem has something to say about gender roles, ? maybe...feminism? I like it.

Friday, September 28, 2007

I was ON FIRE when I came back from Mexico, which is probably why my clients and income doubled in August, and then doubled again it's looking like for September.

This is because I witnessed a lot of needs. Now, I am taking philanthropic needs, yes. But I'm also talking about my need to go back, and my (husbands) family's need for a little luxury now and then down there.

Before I can meet other peoples needs, I have to pay my mortgage. I have to get to my writing income goal. Then, I will finally be able to start helping with others needs, and, as I wrote about in my other blog, the very first place I'm going to start is here.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Monday, September 24, 2007

The following poem was published at Democracy Now, and is the work of Grace Paley, who was the poet laureate of both New York and Vermont. I am copy and pasting here, instead of linking, because I really really really think it should be read. So, once again, this poem was published elsewhere on the internet and is the writing of one Grace Paley.

It is the responsibility of society to let the poet be a poetIt is the responsibility of the poet to be a womanIt is the responsibility of the poet to stand on street cornersgiving out poems and beautifully written leafletsalso leaflets you can hardly bear to look atbecause of the screaming rhetoricIt is the responsibility of the poet to be lazy to hang out and prophesyIt is the responsibility of the poet not to pay war taxesIt is the responsibility of the poet to go in and out of ivorytowers and two-room apartments on Avenue Cand buckwheat fields and army campsIt is the responsibility of the male poet to be a womanIt is the responsibility of the female poet to be a womanIt is the poet's responsibility to speak truth to power as the Quakers sayIt is the poet's responsibility to learn the truth from the powerlessIt is the responsibility of the poet to say many times: there is no freedom without justice and this means economic justice and love justiceIt is the responsibility of the poet to sing this in all the original and traditional tunes of singing and telling poemsIt is the responsibility of the poet to listen to gossip and pass it on in the way storytellers decant the story of lifeThere is no freedom without fear and bravery there is no freedom unlessearth and air and water continue and childrenalso continueIt is the responsibility of the poet to be a woman to keep an eye onthis world and cry out like Cassandra, but belistened to this time.

Monday, September 10, 2007

But while GardenWall is growing, I am attempting to get used to a new keyboard (not good for typists that usually type 120 words a minute!!), dealing with a new school year and schedule, and attempting to catch up from my grueling 17 days training with About.com. . .which started right about when I was almost caught up from out vacation in Mexico.

Which brings me to some HAPPY news: I have been hired to serve as the freelance writing expert at about.com! About.com is a New York Times owned company, and the contract provides great pay and a lot of exposure in the writing world and among freelancers. It is a great honor!

Now, if I can just catch up and take a breath, we could get on to the new season and the new opportunities!

~allena

edited to add: This post is whiny! I am grateful for the success and the opportunities. I have several GREAT contracts, several GREAT clients and an incredible family that is supporting these growing pains. Let's move on:

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

I absolutely had to call a client out in LA today. I didn't have a choice. I try to keep my phone calls on Tues and Thurs, which are GardenWall's main workdays, as my 4 year old and 7 year old are in childcare those days this summer. However, I had to make sure I got this particular account. It's a large ad agency, and honestly, I hope to wow the heck out of them and be hired again.

So, I timed it like this: Here, Spongebob is on at 3:30... In LA that would be 12:30. So perhaps this particular client was out to lunch and I could really quickly slip away and leave him a quickie voicemail. I even took the kids for a long (hot) bike ride so they'd be ready to chill out and fall under the squeaky sponge's spell.

Well, sure enough, (many of you moms know whats happening here), my son's spidey senses went off. Most preschoolers come with this mechanism that emits an alarm sound in their head when mommy gets on the phone...So he comes wandering over, talking very very loudly about the dogs least appetizing habit...which includes the words bum and other interesting colloquialisms.

Of course, I hear him coming and panic just as the client picks up his phone! (Hello, don't you people do power lunching over there on the West Coast?)

I panic, and look around...can't close the door to the office...that's like a big fluorescent sign that says Come over here and bang on me loudly! So, I do what any sane writer would do...I dive into the closet, while talking to my client and securing the account.

I closed the door and heard my four year old wander into the office and...whew...wander back out when he couldn't find me.

I completed the phone call in the pitch dark, sitting on a pile of shoes.

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Now, I'm not sure how long he's been doing it, but it looks like, from his comments, that he doesn't have any magic formula or secret website. He's using the same sites and competing for the same gigs as the rest of us (GAF, Journalism jobs, etc). I do wonder how many hours he gets to work per day though...

Thursday, August 2, 2007

Ok, I am lying a little. I'm not doing the entire daily update. However, I do want to note that between yesterday and today, I've submitted to 20-30 contractual jobs (including elance) and already got three bites back. Now, I'm not bragging. But I am noting that I have only been growing this business aggressively since Memorial Day weekend. Today we finally made arrangements to send the children back to their childcare arrangements for 2 days per week. I have the contracts to cover the cost, but I lack the appropriate time to devote to them. This 2 day a week reprieve will allow me to go after more of what's out there.

I have been thinking about fear and risk lately. I have this idea, one that would be more appropriately covered in my humanitarian/service blog, but I also have a wee bit of this fear of risk. But I need to mentally coach myself to look at GardenWall, look at what's been accomplished in a short time. The first time someone paid me for my writing, my jaw almost fell flat. When I interned at FAITH magazine in 2005, I recall being vaguely jealous of my boss, who had told me that she'd made $50 on a short story she wrote. Even though she was so demure about it, I recall thinking that it was an incredible accomplishment. I feel accomplished now. I can say by the age of 30 that I set up something that I was passionate about, and that it had at least the beginnings of being successful. Cliche, yes, but look here it is anyway: The world is an open door.

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Hi all, and welcome back to me. They had to drag me out of the mountains of Mexico, I didn't want to leave, but I have finally made it back to my writing...Which is all behind.

Seems Oprah is on to us lately. In her most recent issue (which costs 80 pesos in Guadalajara), she covered subjects that are of great interest to us here, and to my humanitarian blog (kept at http://www.30yearstosavetheworld.blogspot.com/), too.

Walter Mosley, author of 47, a book that is a sensational introduction to slavery for young readers, tells you that This Year You Write Your Novel on page 160.

Before I left for Mexico, my novel gnawed at me, but my two biggest fears were

1) Similarity of my characters to real life

2) Lack of an ending. I didn't know the ending.

Number 2 laid itself out for me as we drove through the mountains in Michoacan, Mexico. And Mosley helped me with #1 via this highly recommended article in the current issue of O Magazine.

Monday, July 9, 2007

Friday, July 6, 2007

I have experience with three of the major freelancers bid sites and would like to leave my thoughts for newbie writers...It is my opinion that it is a great way to break into writing and build up clips.

However, I know many writers are not fans of these sites. While it is true that many of the jobs go to those willing to aggressively undercut their pricing, that does not mean that you and I have to stoop to undercutting our prices. I've won a lot of gigs for a fair price. Even some for more than a fair price! For example, I proofread a 317 page book for 1200$ Easy!

http://www.ifreelance.com/: while the interface is lovely and allows you to upload a good deal of "stuff," I have found that this site is the #1 place for employers looking to just "get a feel" and not really hire someone. Doesn't cost to join.

http://www.getafreelancer.com/: I have got tons of jobs with good money on this site. However, I am not a fan of its interface- you can't upload a lot of clips or photos or your logo. Doesn't cost to join unless you upgrade to a gold membership. At this site I won a gig to write 5 press releases (which are naturally short) for 150$

http://www.elance.com/: One of the most competitive. Great profile builder, you can upload a lot of clips and etc. I just started at this one so I can't say a lot. It does cost to join.

http://www.guru.com/: I don't like it or use it much.(EDIT: Guru.com very proactively contacted me after this post to inquire as to how they could improve their service. Really, I think such great customer relations bodes well for the company. In addition, I feel I should have supported my comment a bit: I don't like Guru simply because there are not a lot of projects open to writers who have not upgraded to the paid membership. I feel the cost to upgrade is too much compared to their competitors. I get a lot of good paying jobs at sites that cost far less.)

Today I also updated my resume, updated these blogs, followed up on one job and submitted one article pitch (to this great website: http://www.babble.com/, I love it! I will keep you updated) I may have also goofed off on MySpace a little......... Well, if we're going to go there, I also watch the kiddos play in the pool, took them to feed the ducks, and cooked dinner :)

I have recently done a little research and went through the motions of applying for some blogging jobs. I am kind of busy with projects, but also was a bit curious. So, I am listing them below for your benefit...Many of these jobs note that you "don't have to be an English major" (funny because I am), but instead want great depth in a particular subject area. They also come with high recommendations from many freelancers I know.

Best of luck!

B5Media

Hubpages

LovetoKnow

Familes.com

Lifetips

About.com (very competitive though)

451Press

OxygenMedia

Nimblemind.com (actually a curriculum delivery site, but still pays writers!)

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Today husband and I decided that if I am going to get my two huge projects done before we go on vacation, then I'll need to ge tthe heck outta the house. Despite having a near perfect home office set up, with high speed, two desks, three computers, blah, blah, there is also the little issue of the two kids, three cats, one dog (who all happen to be in love with me right when I sit down to work), not to mention laundry, dishes, to do lists and always yardwork.

I know these things are not new to most freelancers and that you are all nodding your heads.

Anyway, at the end of all this is: I am writing from my good friends BEANERS Coffee mmm mmm. Now, while there is a fair bit of noise and chattering at the local Beaners, none of it is directed at or involves me. Plus theres caffeine. So I'm good.

Where do you write from? Do you need an internet connection, or could you plop down in the middle of the city park and be happy?

Monday, June 25, 2007

Writing High: Not getting a complete flogging from a client when I admitted I messed up due datesWriting Low: Talking with Husband about some of the issues I've had lately- 12 hour days, too many simultaneous projects, distractionsMoney Out: None today#Jobs Considered: About 25#Jobs Applied For: 2#Jobs Received: 0#Jobs Lost: 0What I worked on today: Law document editOn my to-do list: Finish the edit and move on to retail site content. Plus WRG. Plus hubpages.

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Since you are here, I assume theres some kind of writing involved (well, unless you are a looky-loo, which is OK!). If you could describe the perfect job, what would it be?

I am an active member of a forum that focuses on working at home moms. I am not fully on board with the WAHM thing, but I do find the writing moms forum there to be an exhasutive resource on writing. Many of the women there desire to stay at home with their children, but bring it "extra" money. They would probably say that WAH is their dream job.

What is yours? Do you have one?

I have struggled with this very question for close to a decade. I honestly have. After having my daughter 7 years ago, I began to consider finishing my BA. I looked into several areas...Education being one of the biggest. I knew then (and fully admit it now) that a teacher can change the world. That's almost a given. Maybe not any teacher, maybe not every teacher, but it sure is possible.

Close to ten years it's taken me to shape my purpose in life. It really has- most of my 20s. And theres been even as much soul searching AFTER I 'finished' my education as before and during.

It always comes back to this:

I want to help others. I don't want to spend my writing talent on helping someone's bottom line. I actually pretty much turned away from a position that offered just that. I had spent hours on their website trying to justify taking the job to myself. But I couldn't.

I want to write. It is my talent, my passion and my life. I am a writer. I have always been a writer.

So I want to write in a way that helps others. That's it. That's the description of my dream job.

Some of my writing with GardenWall does that, and I am happy with it. I like what I do here. I do spend a lot more time helping others bottom lines, but that's not all I do.

It's worth it.

I think that we need to fully explore what we want to do with our lives from the end backwards. I had an epiphany of sorts when my grandmother died in April, at her service. The things they said about her...made me think...What will be said about me? What do I want to be said about me?

Career wise: That I cared for others. That I used my life to help them. That I used and developed the talents I was given.

Friday, June 22, 2007

I fully meant to grow my business. I did not mean, however, to change up my whole life and routines.

I have accepted some positions which are lucrative, but taxing. I feel as if I work 12 hours per day. When I am not working, I am thinking about working. Part of me missed the exact line between Work Hours and Home Hours.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Want to know how a freelancer gets jobs? Want to know what a WAHM day is like? Want to know how much I spend getting myself out there into the writing world?

This new feature will focus on the daily grind of freelance writing. Things like scrounging and applying for jobs, the realities of freelance writing, and last but not least....money!!!! All the things you really want to ask, but don't.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Today I got both Debng's list of freelance jobs and Wednesday's "Morning Coffee" list. Now, even just two weeks it took me three hours to get through these. I was not very picky about jobs, could not afford to be, and if I could write it, I applied for it...even if it was not necessarily interesting, well paying or...well, etc.This is not to say that this is a "new job" for me. GardenWall has been around for years, but always part time, always on the side, and always for a few select people. In fact, I can honestly say that the inspiration for GardenWall was all my fellow students at MSU who so desperately needed proofreading!But, I do admit that GardenWall has grown exponentially in the past couple months. The website got a perk up. I joined the Freelance Writers Union, and several freelancers profile sites. My clips built and built, because, like I said, I accepted just about 90% of the jobs offered to me. Today, though, I applied for 2 jobs off of Deb's blog and 1 of the Morning Coffee offerings. These are ones that I am truly interested in, know I could fit in my schedule, and know I would not dread.My point though, other than the great links I've provided today:) , is that the jobs will come. And you know when they will come? They will come when you put the right amount of effort into getting them. Daily effort. Unique effort. And dedicated effort.So here's a cliche for any new freelancers or work-at-homers: anything, ever, worth doing is worth doing well!

Friday, June 15, 2007

I hope you've noticed my new logo, pictured here to the left. Now, I was an English major, and two things that I definitely lack are math and GRAPHICS! But I was able to get this great branding mark, which fully conveys the name of my business, is unique, and is high quality for only 50 bucks!Pretty good, right? Interested?

First and foremost, I highly recommend this designer. His name is Steve Butler and he is out of the U.K. (steve.j.butler@ntlworld.com). He was so easy to work with, seemed to read my mind, and even educated me a bit on graphic use and lingo.

But, more generally, how do you get anything you need for your business without expending dollars that you just don't have? The answer is BIDDING SITES!

Think eBay, but for services as opposed to goods. "Providers" compete to get your business by submitting cost bids, showing portfolios and sending you PMB's (basically just private messages).

You can find incredible providers like Brian in the graphics areas, or reliable writers like me and my associates in the writing areas! I have got a whole heck of a lot of jobs from www.ifreelance.com and www.getafreelancer.com.

So next time you need a job done that you can't do yourself, be sure to check out a bidding site like these. Unless you need writing work done- then just contact me!

Monday, June 11, 2007

It's easy to start a budget when the same amount of money rolls in every month. Just minus expenses from this number, stick to it, and there you have it!

But what do freelancers do, given the proverbial "feast or famine" nature of monthly earnings?

One possibility is to base your numbers on percentages instead of hard amounts. If you have an outline of a budget, this is very easy. Instead of committing $100 to gas out of a paycheck of $1000, commit 10%.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

GardenWall Publications is all about sharing information through the printed word. "Printed" today means something much more (in quantity and quality) than it did years ago, and true to that, 90% of GardenWall clients are virtual.

So let's share some information! You are more than welcome here if you are a friend, family member, freelancer, writer, home worker, telecommuter, editor, cleint, or if you just want to be one of the above... Either way welcome to the Garden! Let's get writing.